The joint House and Senate budget committee had been scheduled Friday to consider a request from the Department of Health and Hospitals to hire 248 new employees to sign people up for the expanded coverage.

But instead the item was pulled from the agenda.

The vote, from the majority Republican committee, was expected to be the first test of whether GOP lawmakers will try to create roadblocks for the Democratic governor's expansion plan.

Edwards' chief financial adviser, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, says the request was delayed because the administration didn't have enough time to speak with individual committee members about the details of the hiring plan.